Outside-scope identifier-equipped routing methods, systems, and computer program products

In various embodiments, a technique is provided to: receive an indication of a receipt of a first packet that is specified according to an Internet Protocol (IP) network protocol; identify, using a header of the first packet, network path information that is based on a first policy and includes: a destination IP address that identifies the receiving node, and a first outside-scope identifier without any network interface identifier portion that identifies any network interface, the first outside-scope identifier being in a first identifier space having a scope that spans only the first region of the network, the first outside-scope identifier identifying, for the first region of the network, a second region that at least partially includes a path node included in a first path segment that includes the current node and the receiving node; and using the destination IP address and the first outside-scope identifier of the network path information, cause transmission, via the first path segment, of first data.